Young father dies suddenly

Joseph Ruperto was jogging on the track behind North High School on Memorial Day when he stopped, grabbed the fence and collapsed. A nurse who happened to be nearby rushed to his aid and administered CPR as her husband called 911, and an off-duty EMT nearby heard the call and responded quickly, but their efforts were in vain; Ruperto, who had no known health issues, died at the scene. He was 34.

Ruperto, of Franklin Square, was a beloved member of a large family with deep roots in the community and in Valley Stream. His father-in-law, Thomas Daly, is a lifelong resident of Valley Stream, as well as Ruperto's wife's aunt, Sharon Daly, who is an active community member and is involved with the Green Hornets Football organization. His wife’s sister, Shannon Ticas, was among the adults who sat his four children down and broke the news.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life,” she said.

Ruperto’s children are 11, 8, 4 and 2. The younger two had a difficult time at the wake, Daly said, not understanding why their father wasn’t getting up.

As many as 2,000 friends and community members showed up to pay their respects to Ruperto — or “Joey,” as he was affectionately called — a man his relatives called “an angel” — a happy, loving and endlessly generous man who treated anyone he knew as if they were family.

Relative Muggsy Daly was asked by Ruperto to be a godfather to one of his children. Daly said that while he was enlisted in the Marines and stationed in San Diego, Ruperto would fly out each year to spend time with him. “He was always smiling,” Daly said. “He always made it about everybody else.”

Ruperto is survived by two brothers. One of them, John, of Oakdale, said his brother’s genuine nature and positive outlook had an impact on everyone who knew him. He lived a philosophy of being of service to others, John said, whether it was doing contractor work at a discount, visiting friends or acquaintances in a time of crisis or coaching kids in the Frankiln Square Warriors football club. His spirit was so influential that his family wants to honor him by emulating him.